Old Camera With Older Lens And Even Older Photographer

[br1078lum]

I was down at my favorite junk/antique store one day, and I was looking at the shelves behind the counter when I spied a familiar shape peeking out from behind a Pentax Spotmatic.  After asking the help to dig it out of the pile it was in, out comes this Nikon FM with a 50/1.4 non-AI attached (the hood was for a 35mm).  It was dirty, and the rubber was missing from the eyepiece, but everything else looked okay.  I asked the owner what he wanted for it, and he took it in the back room to look up what they were going for.  I figured it was going to be way over what I could do, but he came back and said that normally, the lens would go for $125, but that I could have the lens and camera for $100.  Gosh, I love a bargain!  It killed my budget, but I went ahead and purchased them.

The lens was in really good shape, and after some cleaning, the FM was looking spiffy too.  I even had an eyepiece in my Nikon stash that fit it, and took the batteries out of my F2s to power up the meter.  So far, so good.  The FM being able to handle non-AI lenses through the use of a flip-up catch lever on the mount (although stop-down metering is neccessary), I went ahead and loaded up the rig with some CVS(Fuji)200, and hunted up some fall colors.  I didn't have to go far, just around the corner to Barns Ave.  Things went well, except for the sun slipping in and out of the clouds.  Spent a lot of time waiting for the light to come back.  After getting the film back from CVS, I found there is a slight leak around the back door, but it only showed up in two frames (see "Deer Run").  They would be the two most artful shots I took that day, as mostly I was just testing the technical aspects of the camera/lens combination.  So even though these aren't the most inspired shots I've taken, they came out nice.  I added them to my "Autumn Colors 2011" set on Flickr.  Here is the link to the complete set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7699588@N07/sets/72157627872425878/ ,and below are some selections from the latest pics.


Autumn Yellow by br1078phot, on Flickr


One Last Blaze Of Glory by br1078phot, on Flickr


Read Head by br1078phot, on Flickr


Deer Run by br1078phot, on Flickr


Golden II by br1078phot, on Flickr


Red And Rock by br1078phot, on Flickr


Christmas Is Coming by br1078phot, on Flickr

PF

[Olypen]

Well, that was a great find and the photos follow suit-- the colors, the resolution etc. You have another fine tool in the toolbox. 

[LarryD]

Nice find even nicer photography.

[br1078lum]

Thanks guys.  The F2s will be very happy to have the 1.4 to work with, and get it's batteries back.

PF

[Len Robertson]

I very much enjoyed your post - the nice, nice pictures, the "find" story (I always love those!), and the camera. The FM is my favorite user 35mm. I especially like the easy-to-see red diodes in the viewfinder. Matching needles in dim light isn't something I enjoy anymore. A combination of aging eyes and laziness I suppose. I love my Nikon F2, and feel like more of a "real" photographer when I use it, but the FM is way more likely to go out the door when I take just one camera. Minolta XG-M and XD-11 actually have a better "feel", and quieter shutters, but I'm phobic about dead batteries killing the camera. With the FM, that isn't anything to worry about.

I'd like to say I'm going to head out and use the FM right away, but I just got another 4X5 a few days ago. There should be lens boards arriving tomorrow in the mail, so I can use it. I'm in the grip of LF fever. But I can use the FM to take some shots of the new camera.

Len

[br1078lum]

"I'd like to say I'm going to head out and use the FM right away, but I just got another 4X5 a few days ago. There should be lens boards arriving tomorrow in the mail, so I can use it. I'm in the grip of LF fever. But I can use the FM to take some shots of the new camera. "  Len Robertson


There you go, Len.  Always try to look on the bright side of life.  Show us your new 4x5 when it's up and running.

PF

[Nick Merritt]

Really nice!  I've recently shot with a couple of non-AI 50/1.4 Nikkors and had forgotten what a superb lens it is.

[br1078lum]

Nick, I've missed the one I had many eons ago when I bought my first Nikkormat.  Sold the kit to an old high school buddy of mine when I wasn't doing much with it.  Never should have let that one get away, but now I have it's replacement.

PF